"Easier said than done. If we get caught, *we’re* the ones who die, not you!"

"And if my brothers and I get taken down, I doubt they’d ever be able to trace it back to you."

"After all, you’re meeting us in masks. We have no idea who any of you are."

"In the end, it’s my brothers and I who’ll have to face the Tian Nan Shen Clan’s wrath!"

The figure in the shadows spoke coldly.

The other dark figures also let out cold sneers.

"So you’re refusing, then?"

In the darkness,

the masked figure’s voice was androgynous and mechanical. The face beneath the mask betrayed no emotion.

But from the sound of their words,

one could clearly hear the frown in their voice.

’These people were lawless Tribulation Cultivators.’

’I spent a month gathering information before carefully selecting them as my target.’

’If even they wouldn’t agree,’

’then this would be a problem.’

’Worse, they might leak the intelligence that Dawan Village is the target.’

"That’s not entirely it."

"What do you mean?"

"You’re not paying enough. Add more money!"

"The greatest threat here is the Tian Nan Shen Clan. In reality, Dawan Village itself isn’t strong. The kid, Shen Changchuan, is only rumored to be at the Qi Introduction Fourth or Fifth Layer. With your strength, taking care of him would be effortless. Eight hundred Spirit Stones is a generous offer!"

The masked figure’s voice remained steady as they haggled.

Inwardly, however, they breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Heh. I’ve heard the rumors out there. They say Old Ghost Song was taken down by them!"

The figure in the shadows sneered.

He wasn’t just pulling this out of thin air.

There really were such rumors circulating.

After Old Ghost Song was killed on the way back from the Wu Family Collection, Shen Changchuan, concerned for his own safety, had wanted to keep his true strength under wraps. He particularly didn’t want the news reaching that so-called "Great Madam" back in Tian Nan City.

So he had forbidden his entire retinue from revealing the specifics of the fight.

At the same time, however,

to bolster Dawan Village’s reputation and deter any riff-raff from trying to stir up trouble,

Shen Changchuan also needed to use his victory over Old Ghost Song as a stepping stone to intimidate other Cultivators.

Thus, Shen Changchuan had everyone align their stories, and once their accounts were consistent, they leaked some carefully managed information to the outside world.

First, that Old Ghost Song had, in fact, fallen at their hands.

Second,

the actual battle process was, of course, quite different from what really happened.

The gist of it was,

Dawan Village had more than just Shen Changchuan as a Cultivator; there was someone else behind him,

perhaps a clan guard, or maybe a senior friend from Tian Nan City.

But regardless of their identity,

in short,

the power backing Dawan Village was not to be underestimated.

Ever since rumors about the Cyan Essence Water Grass began to spread, large numbers of Cultivators from the outside world had flooded into the Border Desolate Land.

The spread of the news about Old Ghost Song falling to the people of Dawan Village had, to some extent, been effective.

Of course,

some believed it,

and some did not.

Some thought it was just a bluff,

and the people present tonight were clearly among the latter.

"Tsk! That business with Old Ghost Song is just their word. No one’s seen the man, and no one’s seen a corpse. Maybe they saw some expert kill Old Ghost Song on the road, then just stole the credit to look tougher than they are!"

the masked figure said disdainfully.

’Having been to Dawan Village myself as an emissary, I’m fairly certain that supposed protector of theirs is just a fabrication.’

’Otherwise, they would have brought him out during our meeting to put on a show of strength.’

"In that case, you should go find someone else!"

The figure in the shadows cut straight to the point.

’In truth, he didn’t believe the rumor either,’

’or at least, even if he did, he wouldn’t be too concerned.’

’After all, the rumors only mentioned a single protector at the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer.’

’With their numbers, he and his brothers could easily deal with someone like that.’

’But what he thought was one thing,’

’and negotiating the price was another.’

’Of course, he had to use every reason he could to drive up the price.’

"Enough nonsense. How much do you want?"

The masked figure finally asked, cutting to the chase.

"Two thousand Spirit Stones. And, you’re going to use your organization’s influence to find someone for us."

"Two thousand Spirit Stones! You really know how to take advantage of a situation!"

"So, do you accept or not?"

"Fine!"

"But as for mobilizing an organization to find someone, I’m afraid we can’t help. We don’t have any great power; otherwise, we wouldn’t be hiring you to deal with that kid."

The masked figure, seemingly annoyed at being extorted, spoke in a cold tone.

"Hmph! The Home Protection Mutual Aid Alliance, which occupies forty-nine villages in the Border Desolate Land, is powerless? That’s the biggest joke I’ve ever heard!"

In the darkness,

the moment the words were spoken,

everything fell silent.

It was a dead silence,

so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Beneath the mask, the figure’s pupils contracted to pinpricks. In that moment, their Heart Spirit was thrown into a tempestuous storm!

’How do they know who I am?’

’Will this bring massive trouble to the Alliance?!’

In an instant,

a thousand thoughts flashed through their mind.

"I don’t know what you mean."

"Hmph. What do you think my brothers and I have relied on to stay free all this time?"

The figure in the shadows snorted.

"I can’t be bothered to figure out who you are. Just help me find someone."

"Who are you looking for?"

After a long silence,

the masked figure finally asked.

"Lei Boyun. People call him the Beast Tamer. He’s mastered a wondrous Beast Taming Secret Technique and commands Demon Beasts like the Armored Rhinoceros, Blood Crow, Gale Wolf, and Huangshan Tiger."

"He was spotted in Qing City two months ago. After hearing about the Cyan Essence Water Grass over here, he rushed over ahead of time."

"We’re very interested in that Beast Taming Secret Technique of his. It’s just a pity we haven’t found any trace of him lately."

"Two thousand Spirit Stones, payment first. After the job is done, you’ll give us the information on that man."

Another stretch of silence.

After a long moment,

"Alright. It’s a deal."

"But you have to guarantee it. You must kill that brat, Shen Changchuan!"

"And you can’t leak any of our information!"

The masked figure’s eyes glinted in the darkness.

"Relax. We’re professionals."

"A mere kid at the Qi Introduction Fourth or Fifth Layer, barely fourteen or fifteen years old. Taking care of him will be a piece of cake!"

The figure in the darkness said disdainfully.

His words,

dripped with utter confidence.

And they had every right to be.

The three of them were brothers,

and all had Cultivation Realms above the Qi Introduction Seventh Layer.

When they joined forces,

even a master at the Qi Introduction Eighth Layer might not be able to take them down.

A young kid like that,

could be crushed with a flick of the wrist.